Gunnison Butte
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox mountain
| name = Gunnison Butte
| photo = Gunnison Butte.jpg
| photo_caption = Northeast aspect
| elevation_ft = 5247
| elevation_ref ={{cite peakbagger|pid=163648|name=Gunnison Butte, Utah|access-date=March 28, 2025}}
| prominence_ft = 705
| isolation_mi = 1.08
| isolation_ref ={{cite web|url=https://listsofjohn.com/peak/24027|title=Gunnison Butte - 5,260' UT|website=listsofjohn.com|accessdate=March 28, 2025}}
| map = Utah#USA
| map_caption = Location of Gunnison Butte in Utah
| map_size = 230
| label_position = bottom
| etymology = John Williams Gunnison
| country = United States
| state = Utah
| region = Emery
| region_type = County
| part_type = Protected area
| part = Desolation Canyon Wilderness{{cite web|url=https://peakvisor.com/peak/gunnison-butte.html|title=Gunnison Butte, Peakvisor.com|access-date=March 28, 2025}}
| range = Colorado Plateau
| coordinates = {{coord|39.1060809|N|110.1245733|W|type:mountain_region:US-UT_scale:100000_source:GNIS|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_ref ={{cite gnis|id=1428435|name=Gunnison Butte|access-date=March 28, 2025}}
| topo = USGS Tusher Canyon
| rock = Sedimentary rock[https://ugspub.nr.utah.gov/publications/open_file_reports/OFR-440.pdf Geologic Map of the Huntington 30' x 60' Quadrangle, Carbon, Emery, Grand, and Uintah Counties, Utah], Irving J. Witkind, Utah Geological Survey, Retrieved March 28, 2025.
| age = Late Cretaceous
| first_ascent =
}}
Gunnison Butte is a {{convert|5247|ft|m|adj=on}} summit in Emery County, Utah, United States.
Description
Gunnison Butte is situated {{convert|8|mile|km|spell=in}} north of the town of Green River at the southeastern end of the Beckwith Plateau and along the boundary of the Desolation Canyon Wilderness Study Area which is the largest Wilderness study area managed by the Bureau of Land Management in the contiguous 48 states.[https://www.blm.gov/visit/desolation-canyon Desolation Canyon], Bureau of Land Management, www.blm.gov, Retrieved March 28, 2025. The toponym honors John Williams Gunnison (1812–1853), an American military officer who explored Utah with Edward Griffin Beckwith and crossed the Green River on September 30, 1853.[https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/geology/publications/bul/707/sec6a.htm Main Line of Railroad from Grand Junction to Salt Lake City], Geological Survey Bulletin 707, www.nps.gov, Retrieved March 28, 2025. The toponym has been officially adopted by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names. Precipitation runoff from this landform drains into the Green River which flows east of the butte. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises {{convert|1100.|ft|m|abbr=off|sp=us}} above the Green River in 0.4 mile (0.64 km). This butte is composed of sandstone of the Mesaverde Group which was deposited in the Late Cretaceous.
Climate
According to the Köppen climate classification system, Gunnison Butte is located in a Cold semi-arid climate zone, which is defined by the coldest month having an average mean temperature below 32 °F (0 °C), and at least 50% of the total annual precipitation being received during the spring and summer.{{cite journal | author = Peel, M. C. |author2=Finlayson, B. L. |author3=McMahon, T. A. | year = 2007 | title = Updated world map of the Köppen−Geiger climate classification | journal = Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. | volume = 11 |issue=5 |page=1633 |doi=10.5194/hess-11-1633-2007 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2007HESS...11.1633P | issn = 1027-5606}} This desert climate receives less than {{convert|10|in|mm|abbr=off|sp=us}} of annual rainfall, and snowfall is generally light during the winter. Spring and fall are the most favorable seasons to visit Gunnison Butte.
Gallery
File:Gunnison Butte on the Green River.jpg
File:Mountains and the Green River (53660672783).jpg|Gunnison Butte to left, with Swaseys Rapids
File:Fire ring near the Green River (53656068673).jpg
File:Picnic table and fire ring near Green River (53656307020).jpg
File:Gunnison's Butte, Green River - NARA - 517707.jpg|South aspect by William Henry Jackson, circa 1870s
File:John Williams Gunnison.JPG|John Williams Gunnison
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- Weather forecast: [https://www.yr.no/en/forecast/daily-table/2-5540030/United%20States/Utah/Emery/Gunnison%20Butte Gunnison Butte]
- Gunnison Butte (photo): [https://www.flickr.com/photos/19779889@N00/51066704162/in/dateposted/ Flickr]
{{Geographic Location 2
| Center = Gunnison Butte
| North = Gray Canyon
| Northeast = Swaseys Rapids
| East = Grand County
| Southeast = Green River
| South = Green River
| Southwest = Battleship Butte
| West = Beckwith Plateau
| Northwest = Beckwith Plateau
}}
{{Portal bar|Mountains|Geography|Utah}}
Category:Landforms of Emery County, Utah